<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Veiled Hollow by WinterEquinox</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27306898">The Veiled Hollow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterEquinox/pseuds/WinterEquinox'>WinterEquinox</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M, Halloween, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:00:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,872</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27306898</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterEquinox/pseuds/WinterEquinox</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a Legend of a town that is only accessible on Halloween Night, Guarded by ancient beings. What Happens when someone new becomes trapped, can the curse be broken?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Andy | Andromache of Scythia &amp; Quynh | Noriko, Booker | Sebastien le Livre/Nile Freeman, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>91</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Veiled Hollow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I blame @rainofdreams29 and @lady-writes and the rest of the Book of Nile chat on Tumblr. you are all the worst kinds of enablelers! Thanks to the ever incredible  Isa, @yogurtfordinner for the beta work.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Many Years Ago</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a small village, nestled into a safe hollow in the woods. There was nothing notable about this town; no castles, no lords, no great treasure, however, it was protected. The Leaders of the Clans had deemed it a meeting place when its foundation stone was laid, and would come together every year to broker new deals and rejoice in their friendship. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This revelry and prosperity had lasted for a century when the Warlock came calling. He made an offer to one of the leaders, a chance to bring his loved ones back from the dead, and the deal was struck before the Great Bear understood what was being asked of him. The Warlock wanted power and the immortality that came with being a Leader for himself. Unbeknownst to the new conspirator, the spell would transfer all of the magic and power from each of the leaders into the Warlock. But… his curse failed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He trapped the leaders in the confines of that safe little village, but was unable to take their power for his own. Instead, he accidentally pushed the village beyond the veil to the next world, cut off from humanity--save for one night a year, where from dusk to midnight the Veiled Hollow appears, still haunted by the three leaders trapped within. The Eldest, The Wisest, and The Penitent.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Year One</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We are so going.” Quynh pulls her hair up into a ponytail as they walk out of their last class of the day and head back home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ugh, why? I mean, yeah, the story is cool, but... with the frat boys?” Nile rolls her eyes as she and her roommate link arms to walk down the sidewalk. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t drive for shit, and I’m planning on getting fully wasted in some abandoned ghost town. We’ll use them for their cars and pretend to be together for the night. Wouldn’t be the first time.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! I drive just fine, that curb just came out of nowhere and you know it. I just don’t really see the appeal of standing around in the cold, wet woods getting drunk, when we could be standing around a warm, loud party getting drunk.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The aesthetic! Plus, isn’t Halloween a </span>
  <em>
    <span>thing</span>
  </em>
  <span> for your family?” Quynh cocks her head to look over at Nile, who sighs and lifts her face to the sky.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, which is why I’m tired of standing outside in the cold and wet on this particular holiday. I guess this is better than going to the cemetery with Big Mama though. I do </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> miss listening to her argue with great-aunt Effie about what my generation is coming to.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quynh claps excitedly, knowing that she has won this round. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m telling you this right now, Q, I’m not dressing up. It’s going to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>cold. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I'm going to dress for the weather, not the holiday.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, same. Plus, it’s an abandoned town, not like anyone would be able to appreciate our costumes anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>********</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The ridiculous SUV is crowded with the cream of the dude-bro crop, with the second string following behind in an assortment of pickups and cars. Nile and Quynh are squeezed against the back door, with four other people on the bench seat with them. Well… three people on the seat and Cindy doing her best to crawl down Tommy’s throat as she sits in his lap. Her halo keeps falling off when it hits the roof of the car. Dan whips the vehicle off the road and into the woods, reassuring them all that he’s been here before </span>
  <em>
    <span>loads of times, it's super creepy dude, one minute there’s nothing there, and the next… whoa!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Nile is really starting to worry that she’s going to pull a muscle in her eyes if she rolls them any harder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They do arrive at the alleged location of Veiled Hollow before the sun fully sets so, at least if there is any truth to the story, she can’t say that Dan just stumbled onto another ghost town in the middle of the woods. Their motley crew of pirates, football players, angels, cats and two people who are dressed appropriately for the weather tumble out of the car. Nile glares around the random clearing where they’ve parked. Dan is loudly recounting the tale of Veiled Hollow and the Clan Leaders trapped inside.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But, what if the story is wrong? Like, what if these leader guys are like, the bad guys and the Warlock guy locked them up for a good reason?” Damn, Nile really didn’t want to agree with Cindy about anything, but really, what do they know about the origins of a hundred and fifty year old ghost story?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then, the impossible happens. The sun starts to fall behind the horizon, and all of a sudden Nile is standing in the middle of a goddamn town. The frat boys lose their minds with excitement and immediately start cheering and daring each other to go into different buildings, pulling giggling girlfriends along with them. Nile and Quynh stick together for a little while, until Quynh elbows her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Guess we weren’t the only ones with the idea of coming out here tonight, I haven’t seen </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> around before.” She slyly gestures to a tall, pale woman with dark hair wearing a black cape and white ruffled shirt with black leather trousers--a very convincing vampire.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Go get her, but be safe, OK, Q?” Nile’s caution is waved away as her friend slips to the edge of the gathering. The introduction seems to be going well, so Nile takes a sip of her beer and goes back to people watching.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t be here,” a deep voice rumbles out of the doorway behind her. She whirls around and sees a large form leaning against the doorframe, almost taking up the entire entrance. He takes two steps forward, and she realizes that there was no trick of perspective, that he really is </span>
  <em>
    <span>that big</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What, do you own the place?” She smirks at him, enjoying the flash of his blue eyes as he glares at her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re smarter than them. You know what this place is. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You shouldn’t be here,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he says, sounding pained, and clenches his hands, surveying the revelers currently surrounding Tommy doing a keg stand. </span>
  <span></span>
    <br/>
  
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Chill, man, we’ll be gone before the carriages turn to pumpkins. You’re taking this whole roleplay pretty seriously, aren’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I am, it’s my fault. Be sure that you and your companions leave before the 12th hour, or else you will be doomed like the others were." He brushes past her, heading away from the group and further into the town. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Dramatic much?” She mumbles to herself before joining the rest of the partiers. She can’t see Quynh anywhere, but isn’t overly concerned since her friend has been known to leave a trail of broken hearts behind her. The rest of the party passes uneventfully--if you don’t count Dan falling through one of the old windows and shattering it. As midnight nears, Nile finds herself looking for the stranger, wondering what he would do to make sure they leave. Turns out she doesn’t have to wonder long.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Howling fills the air around the town, sending a chill down her spine. Then, a growling and the roar of a bear. She looks down the main road and sees a wolf and bear--both larger than any she’s seen in captivity. There is a split-second of paralyzing fear before the entire group runs. They pile into the waiting cars, just in time to see the town vanish before their eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell was that?” Dan screams, pointing through the windshield.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Where… Where’s Quynh?” Nile frantically scans the faces around her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Where’s Quynh?!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Year Two</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There is still an hour before sunset, but Nile is already parked in her borrowed SUV at the edge of the clearing. She’s sitting cross-legged on the hood, left knee bouncing uncontrollably as she bites at the edge of her thumb, staring at the place where a town </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span> appear at nightfall. She has a bag filled with clothes and books for Quynh in a desperate hope that her friend is still alive after whatever the hell happened to the village. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The past year has been hell, the campus had erupted in panic after Quynh vanished during the Halloween party in the woods, and Nile is sick of all of the unsolved mystery YouTube channels trying to paint her and the other party-goers as a satanic cult. The police were able to see pretty quickly that none of them had anything to do with the disappearance and listed it as a cold case within about 4 months. They are perpetually understaffed, and no one wants to admit that they believe in the old legend. As soon as she realized that this was a legitimate curse, Nile had called Big Mama--her grandmother had the entire family lexicon of curses and countercurses at her fingertips, no matter that she was getting on in years. Months of research and fear have brought Nile back to this place with three blessed blades, a dagger each of iron, silver, and bronze. One of those should be enough to threaten whoever is holding her friend hostage into giving her back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sun dips below the trees, and Nile unfolds herself from the hood of the car, pulling the heavy iron knife from its sheath on her thigh. The old buildings shimmer into place before her, and she tightens her grip on the duffle bag and the knife before stepping over the boundary line.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“NILE!!!!! YOU CAME BACK!” A familiar voice shrieks from the doorway of a well-kept home, as Quynh hurries forward, gathering her--skirts?--in one hand as she charges to wrap Nile in a hug.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy shit, you’re alive!” Nile breathes out, before Quynh hits her full force and the impact sends them both sprawling on the ground, a mess of tears and laughter. “What the hell are you wearing?!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quynh rolls to the side and climbs back to her feet, dragging Nile with her. It seems neither one is willing to let go of the other just yet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you really think that I would only be wearing one set of clothes for a whole year? Andy let me borrow some things, and we raided some of the empty homes for others.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Andy?” The smile Quynh sends her way is blinding, as she begins to pull Nile back to the house she had run from.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You need to meet everyone, c’mon. It won’t take long, there’s only the three of them left.” And that is how Nile finds herself meeting the last surviving members of the Great Clans; the woman that Quynh had been enchanted by last year was none other than Andromache, Queen of the Vampires, while the grumpy man that had warned her away from the town was Sebastien Le Livre, Chieftain of the Bear Clan, and a third man she had not met before, with thick, curly hair and laughing black eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, I am Yusuf ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn al-Kaysani, Chief of the Wolf Clan. You can call me Yusuf.” He smiles brightly, a flash of bright teeth in the dark. There is a soft thud as Sebastien throws a pillow at his head and Yusuf quickly dodges it, lunging forward and tackling the larger man to the ground. Andromache --</span>
  <em>
    <span>Andy</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Nile remembers-- rolls her eyes and takes Nile by the elbow so they can sit in the parlor of the home and leaves the two men to wrestle in the entryway.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened to everyone? Why are you three the only ones left?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Because, long before this land was colonized, we were alive. Our bloodlines are as old as this earth, and we were chosen to lead our people through the ages. Immortality does come with its share of downsides though. For instance, people are constantly trying to take it from you--either out of fear, or to keep it for themselves. When we were locked away in this place, there were several families here as well. However, they died out through the years. Not much room for food to grow, and the animals that somehow find their way through the veil cannot sustain a hundred souls.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How did you get cursed? Maybe I can help break it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Lies, and betrayal.” Yusuf’s voice is soft from the doorway as he crosses the room to sit beside Andy, straightening his waistcoat as he does so.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I would gladly give my own life a hundred times over to right that wrong.” Sébastien is standing in the doorway, shoulders drooping and eyes fixed on the floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I believe we have tried that, my friend, and it did not work. It was not you that I spoke of, anyway. You have to stop blaming yourself,” Yusuf continues to speak gently, as though he fears that the large man will run from the room. “We have scoured the books we have available to us, however, I fear we may not be able to break the curse. The warlock who cast the spell has been dead for over a century, and if the loss of his life did not unbind it, then I do not know what could.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe you just need a different magic user to create the counter-curse. Would I be able to take some of the books that you have on magic back with me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve never tried with books, we just know that anyone who stays past midnight on All Hallows Eve is unable to leave ever again. But perhaps that is just for living things. But, Nile, there are very few magic users left, and I can’t imagine that the bloodlines have gotten stronger throughout the years.” Andy seems apologetic as she says this, and is holding Quynh’s hand gently, thumb rubbing against her knuckles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, it seems that I should have made a more formal introduction.” Nile stands, dusts the remnants of her tumble to the dirt off her clothes, before performing a complicated hand maneuver in front of her chest, finishing with her left hand held flat, palm up at the base of her ribcage, and her right held vertically, fingers spread in front of her lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I am Nile, Daughter of LaDawndrea, Daughter of Maddie, Born of the Earth, to a clan whose name was lost in the sea. Our Power has not been forgotten, and We thank the Mother for our ability to protect.” She blows gently over her fingertips, and a shower of green sparks dances towards the ceiling before she lets her hands come to rest at her sides. Andy’s eyes flash from blue to gold as she stares into Nile’s. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmmmm… You are named well, Nile, Daughter of LaDawndrea. The power in your soul is as ancient and steady as the river you share a name with. You may be what we’ve been missing. Booker, take her to the library, and get her whatever you think she can learn from. We are running out of time, and I’m sure that she and Quynh will want to speak privately.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sébastien bows his head and stands to the side as he gestures Nile through the door and to another building. He begins pulling tomes from the shelves, seemingly at random, but seeing as he has been reading nothing but these books for the past one hundred and fifty years, he probably knows exactly what is inside each one.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why did Andy call you Booker?” She asks as he stacks books on the table --those are gonna be a bitch to carry-- and he hesitates briefly before answering with his back turned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t one for reading, before. But, when the others realized what I had done… that I had agreed to assist Merrick without asking the cost… I hid myself away in this place for years. Andy likes to joke that a new man emerged, Booker, rather than Sébastien .”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you think?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think that we are never new people no matter how much we wish to be, and that we can only hope our sins do not poison our soul forever.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before she crosses the boundary again, she does get to speak with Quynh, who reassures her that she does not have Stockholm Syndrome, and that while she does want to return to the rest of the world, the break from constant societal pressures is nice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So, she didn’t trick you into staying past midnight last year?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no, actually she couldn’t stop apologizing when we realized what happened. She didn't talk to me for a solid week, convinced I would hate her, until I was able to get Yusuf to play moderator.” Quynh blushes as she looks over her shoulder to the window where Nile can see Andy and Booker playing a game of chess while Yusuf tries to distract both of them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, how did you end up staying, then? What happened?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We… we fell asleep. And didn’t wake up until sunrise.” Quynh’s ears are flushed, as is her throat, and Nile laughs so hard that her ribs hurt. Their parting this year is much more pleasant, with a hug, an exchange of items, and a promise to come back with a plan next year. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Year Three</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This year Nile eagerly awaits sunset, a large suitcase full of books and the ingredients she will need at her side. When the town shimmers into existence, she is once again tackled by Quynh, then receives a warm hug from Andy, before Yusuf lifts her and spins her in an enthusiastic embrace. Sébastien holds himself away from the group, but gives her a warm smile, which she thinks may be just as good as the hug Yusuf still has her in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, this is going to take a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> of set up, so I need to get to work!” She finds the center of the town, and begins marking out a boundary line, reciting incantations that she and the women of her family have been working on for the past year. She borrows the men to bring out a large table from a nearby building to act as an altar/workstation and lays out the various herbs, blades and scraps of paper bearing spells and blessings along the oak.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She keeps track of the moon’s path across the sky with an app so that she won't begin before it is in the right quadrant of the sky. She asks Sébastien to build her a fire next to the workstation as she places a few bundles of herbs in a shallow bronze bowl that she holds over the fledgeling flames.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that the start of the spell?” Sébastien murmurs beside her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope, I just really like the smell of warmed rosemary and sage. Helps me focus.” She tosses him a smile, then crushes a sprig of rosemary between two fingers and rubs the resulting oils in the furrow between his brows. The startled look and unexpected sneeze he lets loose makes her laugh until she has to use his broad chest to hold herself up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, get out of my space. This is going to take a bit, and I need to be alone in here to properly work the spell.” She pats him on the arm before gently pushing him towards the others. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sébastien can feel the time passing by, faster than he thought it should. Quynh had reassured them all throughout the year that if anyone would be able to counteract the curse, it would be Nile and her family, and he desperately hopes that this is the case. But they are running out of time. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She</span>
  </em>
  <span> is running out of time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He watches as Nile quickly draws a silver blade across her forearm, allowing the blood to flow into the same bronze dish she had teased him with earlier. He doesn’t even recognize that the distressed sound he hears is coming from his own throat until Yusuf stands beside him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She has confidence in herself, you must believe in it too, brother.” The quiet words are paired with a comforting grip on his shoulder. Sébastien glances to the sky, then calculates the distance from the center of town to the boundary line. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She’s running out of time, she’ll never make it out in time</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’s running before he consciously decides to do it, breaking into her casting circle and feeling the power tingle across his skin. He scoops her up and throws her over his shoulder, ignoring her protests as he charges towards the edge of town. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Get her out, get her out, don’t doom her too, she can’t be trapped here, she’s too good for this cursed life…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He skids to a stop before the invisible line of the Veil, and throws her as far as he can into the mundane world. They make eye contact one last time, and the devastation in her deep brown eyes shreds what is left of his soul as the veil falls between them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Year Four</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She doesn’t come.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quynh paces the edge of the village, Andy by her side. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yusuf stands at the closed door of Booker’s bedroom, trying to ignore the sounds of his friend tearing himself apart inside.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Midnight passes, and she doesn’t come.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Year Five</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sun sets, and the veil lifts. Quynh shrieks in delight when she sees Nile standing at the edge of town, with a tall, dark-haired man beside her. His piercing blue eyes flick around the small group standing before them, lingering on the gaunt face and disheveled appearance of the largest man, and the way the curly-haired man is holding him in place with an arm around his shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nile steps forward to receive her customary hugs from Quynh, Andy and Yusuf, laughing with them and apologizing for missing the last year. She stops before Sébastien and doesn't speak until he looks up from the ground and meets her gaze.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>mad </span>
  </em>
  <span>at you. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>almost had it</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and you broke the circle." Her voice is soft, dejected, and what little resolve in him breaks as a sob shudders its way out of his chest. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Je suis tellement désolé, ma enchanteresse</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I'm sorry… I couldn't see you trapped here too." He directs his words to her feet, unable to bear seeing the disappointment in her eyes. Then, he feels strong, slim arms wrap around him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry, too, Sébastien. I didn't tell you what the spell involved. I thought that the four of you would stop me if you knew."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Will you tell us now?" Yusuf asks, but his eyes are locked on the newcomer. "And, perhaps, introduce us to your guest?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nile grins as she pulls the man forward. "This is Niccolò, or Nicky. He's the other reason I wasn't here last year, I had to go track him down in the wilds of Italy."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Buonasera,</span>
  </em>
  <span> it is nice to meet you all." Nicky’s smile is crooked as he and Yusuf shake hands for a few moments longer than is strictly necessary. Andy’s smile is predatory as she watches them with delight. Then her eyes flash to gold briefly, and she gasps.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're a vessel. Nile! How the hell did you find a vessel in this day and age? I thought you were all lost after the disaster of the crusades?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Most of us were, but I wanted to stay, to help. But, I admit, even I lost hope for humanity at times. I had been hiding for several years when this one appeared one year ago and demanded that I assist her in righting a wrong." Nile grinned brightly at Nicky, warmed by his soothing voice and bright eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"OK, people! Ground rules! Nicky is going to be my anchor for the spell. He's strong enough that tapping into his magic shouldn't drain him. This is a different spell than last time, but there is one thing that is the same," she says, and turns to Sébastien, "we can't be touched. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to stay outside the circle. The spell will be complete at the strike of midnight. Do you understand?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sébastien nods, taking a deep breath before he grabs her hand and brings it to his lips. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I trust you. I will not interrupt you again, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ma chérie</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good. Let's get to work."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>********</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They work together to set up the protective circle, and Nile is big enough of a person to admit that having three strong men moving massive tables and cauldrons around is very visually satisfying. She takes greater precautions this time, explaining each step to her surrounding audience. She can see Sébastien clenching his fists when she mentions the timeline, or the blood required for certain aspects of the ritual. She also notices the way Yusuf’s jaw drops as Nicky pulls off his shirt, revealing the ancient symbols carved into his skin shimmering silver in the moonlight. She watches him lower his head, murmuring a quiet prayer to himself which causes the runes to glow with the same electric blue of his eyes as the time comes to begin the ritual.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Remember, no breaking the circle. If you have a god of choice, now would be a good time to reach out to them and ask for some back up.” Nile calls over to the others, and then she and Nicky sit on the cold ground, facing each other across a small fire, with an array of instruments and herbs next to them. She checks her watch, and at eleven o’clock, they begin to weave the spell.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sébastien watches as the fire grows higher with each word that the pair chant, as sweat begins to run down their temples and the runes on Nicky’s skin glow brighter. Nile doesn’t flinch as he cuts the same spot on her arm as she did two years previously. His growl is mirrored by Yusuf’s when Nicky’s nose begins to bleed freely. Quynh rubs her hand across Yusuf’s shoulder blades, and Andy takes a tight hold on Sébastien’s arm, whispering reassurances to him. Midnight creeps closer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gusts of wind pick up as the seconds pass, circling around the edges of the village, lifting debris off the forest floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The alarm on Nile’s phone sounds, the fire goes out, and Nicky collapses backwards. Yusuf lunges forward, only held back by Quynh’s fast reflexes. Sébastien calls out to Nile, who raises her head to meet his gaze with a smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think we did it. It’s after midnight. Let’s go see.” She is shaky on her feet, but Sébastien is there to catch her when she stumbles. Yusuf is kneeling by Nicky’s head, his voice quivering as he calls out in an ancient version of Italian. With a gasp, Nicky wakes up, grabbing Yusuf’s hand and pulling himself up. They speak quietly to each other as Yusuf wipes the blood from the Italian’s face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When everyone is on their feet, they move as a unit to the edge of the village. They all link hands, and with a brief countdown, they step over the boundary together. Nile sighs in relief before she is lifted in the air by a laughing Sébastien, who holds her up with one arm while cupping her face with the other hand. His eyes are shining with tears, and she’s sure that hers are too, before he takes a breath and brings his lips to meet hers. She freezes for a second before tangling her fingers in his hair and pressing ever closer to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A joyous howl startles them apart, and she looks over Sébastien’s shoulder to see a massive wolf barreling towards them. Sébastien places her back on her feet, and whirls to meet their attacker--or so she thought. Mid-turn he transforms into the largest grizzly bear that she’s ever seen. Wolf and bear meet with a crash, tumbling into the surrounding undergrowth with the wild abandon of children. Nile looks over to the rest of the group to see Andy positively radiating as she basks in the air of the mundane world, and Quynh is supporting Nicky as he chuckles at the two beasts wrestling before them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yusuf, stop torturing your brother and come back to me, my love. It has been centuries since I’ve held you in my arms.” The wolf shakes the bear off of himself and lopes back to them, pressing himself into Nicky’s arms as Nicky buries his face into the black ruff of fur.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You two know each other?" Nile cries out, automatically burying her fingers in the fur of the giant bear that lumbers over to her. Nicky flashes his crooked grin as Yusuf shifts back to his human form. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Niccolò is the moon in the night sky, my soul is bound to follow him. I have ached without you, my love. I never thought you would stay on this earth."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How could I leave when there was a chance that I could get you back?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their celebration continues before there is an outburst from Quynh. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait! Am I the only normal human here?!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t say </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span>, sweetheart. You are bonded to a vampire.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>